Muy Bien: The life and times of a National Artist and 'Artista ng Bayan'
A movable and truly moving birthday feast it was, held four days apart and in the two venues. On April 11, on his 80th birthday, the initial tribute to Dr. Bienvenido “Bien” Lumbera, National Artist for Literature, was held at the UP Executive House. The celebration was attended by fellow National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose (with whom he holds court at the latter’s La Solidaridad office every last Saturday of the month for the meeting of PEN Philippines, Bien being the current chairman), writers and journalists from several generations, and members of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), who organized the two-stage celebration together with the honoree’s wife, Prof. Cynthia Nograles-Lumbera.
The twin events were supposed to be a surprise to be sprung on Bien, but the buzz was all over town and he must have gotten a whiff of what was in the offing, though probably not the magnitude of what was going to happen. Evening of April 11, the garden of UP President Fred Pascual’s Executive House was laid out with tables and chairs, a two-sided buffet table, a makeshift stage and a sound system. Pretty soon the place was full of well-wishers and the celebrant was there with his whole family in tow. Everyone present had played a part, big or small, in the academic and literary life, and in the ideological battles of arguably the most politicized and activist elder statesman of Philippine letters. The evening was also a reunion of sorts for literature teachers, critics and practitioners, staffers of the Diliman Review, stalwarts of the pre-martial law PAKSA leftwing writers’ group of which Bien was founding president, cultural workers from the CAP and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and so many others.
Emceed and introduced by formidable campus figure and Sociology professor Sarah Raymundo, the program got off to a rousing start with a musical number from the UP Singing Ambassadors conducted by Eddie Manguiat, followed by a dance and kulintang performance by Tag-ani Performing Arts Society led by stage artist Marili Fernandez-Ilagan, a tribute from Dr. Ed Clemente of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance, a message from UP prez Fred Pascual through his representative, VP for administration Maragtas Amante, a song from poet-folksinger Jess Santiago, a poem from this writer (a member of PAKSA under Bien and also of his “political collective” in the martial law underground), two songs from chanteuse Dessa Ilagan, a movement-cum-pole-dance interpretation of Bien’s poem Himala by Chrystelle Manuel at AJ Bautista, an electrifying rendition by rap and hip-hop artist Gloc-9 (Aries Pollisco) of his popular Diaspora dirge, Walang Natira, and a surprise number by Bien’s two grandsons, Andres and Miguel, who read a cute, mock-critical but utterly loving short poem about their grandfather. The UP Singing Ambassadors rendered a closing song, followed by the happy birthday song as a cake topped by a huge 80 materialized on the scene.
The multi-media, multi-sectoral and (literally) multi-stage affair the following Sunday, billed as Muy Bien! Guro at Artista ng Bayan, sizzled more than the afternoon heat of mid-April, with reverence and exultation and love overflowing for the Grand Old Man of cause-oriented, people-centered Art and Literature. Palma Hall — that Arts and Sciences building of old where many a UP demonstration before Malacañang Palace, the US Embassy, and Congress in the 1970s started, with the boarding of chartered buses by hundreds of activist students and faculty members — was the site of a demo of another kind on April 15, with a throng of friends and admirers milling on the street, on the AS steps, and in the lobby of the building, to await his arrival.
Shouts of “Mabuhay ang Artista ng Bayan!” erupted as soon as Bien ascended the AS steps, to be welcomed by the kulintangan music of the KontraGapi who performed Noong Unang Panahon from his first musical, Tales of the Manuvu, and rap poetry by Los Indios Bravos and Ciudad Tribu. The mabuhay greeting — more like a political grito — was heard repeatedly up to the end of the day’s celebration, and to those present, Artista ng Bayan meant more than the official National Artist accolade: it was in recognition of his being a People’s Artist, of his being one with them in all their past and present struggles, delivering speeches and reciting his poems in people’s marches, rallies and other manifestations. To be 80 and still an activist means that his mind is clear, his body is keeping up, and his heart is ever in the right place.
Past the first stage which was the AS steps, the performance now took place in the AS lobby (scene of almost daily teach-ins and DGs or discussion groups in the FQS period before 1972), with mass leaders Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna, Nanay Mameng Deonida of Anakpawis, Nenita Gonzaga of KMU, Marie Hilao Enriquez of Karapatan, Rodel de Mesa of UMA (Unyon ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Agrikultura) and ULWU (United Luisita Workers’ Union), and Vencer Crisostomo of youth group Anakbayan reading poems about the plight of the toiling masses and their pledge to continue the struggle for democracy and social justice in the Philippines.
The action moved up to the second floor lobby, outside the Wilfredo Maria Guerrero Theater, where excerpts from his Centennial prize-winning musical play Hibik at Himagsik nina Victoria Laktaw, and from Sisa and Banaag at Sikat were performed by CCP’s Tanghalang Pilipino, Dulaang UP and Artists Incorporated. Afterwards, Bien and the crowd were ushered into the theater for the next part of the program, which began with a video documentary of Bien’s childhood, education, creative writing career, and political involvement as a committed scholar and finally as an Artist of the People. Midway in the docu, Jess Santiago came on stage and sang the protest song Mendiola, whose lyrics were written by Bien. Then came the Pagpuputong at Paggawad bilang Guro at Artista ng Bayan, the conferment by the people on Bienvenido Lumbera as Teacher and Artist of the People. A crown of bronze laurel leaves, fashioned by Angono poet-artist Raul Funilas, was put on the head of the honoree by Nanay Mameng Deunida of Kadamay, Congressman Antonio Tinio of ACT (Alliance of Concerned Teachers) partylist, and Professor Leonilo Doricon of the CAP. While Bien stood alone on the stage in his dark red shirt, wearing his crown, smiling shyly at the audience, soprano Lorna Llames sang Alay kay Bien, penned by Bonifacio Ilagan and set to music by Lucien Letaba. As the song ended, everyone inside the teacher, including UP president Fred Pascual, took turns coming up the stage to congratulate Bienvenido Lumbera and wish him a long life.
It wasn’t over yet. The whole throng went back to the AS Lobby, where now in splendid array were poised the CCP Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Oliver Ochanine and for a reprise, the UP Singing Ambassadors. Before the program’s finale, Walkie Miraña of CAP — who had labored on the project for months together with event director Joel Lamangan, CCP’s Nanding Josef and cultural worker Soc Jose — read a long list of those who had given of their time and talent to see Muy Bien through.
The PPO played, among other pieces, Bien’s favorite Beatles songs, and the final number of the concert as well as of the whole celebration — Bayan Ko, sung by Montet Acoymo, Bienvenido Lumbera and the mass leaders standing beside him, and by everyone else in that inspired crowd, who have kept faith with the causes the People’s Artist has fought for through all these many years.
